Truck mows down Kanwar devotees in UP's Hathras, death toll rises to 6

Hathras, July 23:: At least six people are confirmed dead after a speeding truck mowed down a group of Kanwar devotees in the Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.

The accident occurred when Kanwariyas were en route to Gwalior from Haridwar with their Kanwars, when the speeding truck lost its balance and rammed into them.

"5 dead, 1 seriously injured after seven Kanwar devotees were moved down by a truck around 2.15 am today, at Sadabad Police Station in Hathras. They were en route to Gwalior from Haridwar with their Kanwars," said Additional Director General of Police (Agra Zone), Rajeev Krishna.

The ADG said that a probe is underway and that they have received information about the driver who managed to flee from the spot. "He will be nabbed soon," the police official said.

'Kanwar Yatra' is an annual pilgrimage undertaken by Lord Shiva's devotees in which devotees known as 'Kanwariyas' visit places like Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch the holy water of the Ganges and then worship the God with the same water.

The Kanwar Yatra has resumed this year after a gap of two years due to Covid-19 restrictions. Administrations of several areas have adopting necessary measures to avoid any untoward incidents during the holy pilgrimage.